Addis Ababa, October 21 (Darfur24)
A joint African Union (AU) Fact-Finding Mission has accused both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing widespread human rights violations and atrocities since the war erupted in April 2023.
In a report released today, Tuesday, the mission led by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and mandated by the AU Peace and Security Council said the conflict has caused indiscriminate attacks, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and destruction of civilian infrastructure, leaving civilians to bear the brunt of the violence.
“The violations show a systematic pattern of wanton disregard for life, dignity, and non-discrimination,” the report said, holding both warring parties and their allied militias responsible for the documented abuses.
The inquiry, conducted between June 2024 and March 2025, covered major conflict zones including Khartoum, Al Gezira, Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile. It found both sides guilty of arbitrary arrests, ethnic-based killings, torture, and widespread sexual violence against women and girls.
The mission also documented violations against children, restrictions on freedom of movement and humanitarian access, and ethnically motivated attacks particularly targeting non-Arab groups in Darfur, which it described as acts of ethnic cleansing.
AU Calls for Ceasefire and Justice
The Fact-Finding Mission urged an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the siege on El Fasher, as well as an immediate halt to all attacks on civilians.
It called on both sides to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, protection of displaced people, and the restoration of essential services, including internet connectivity. The AU further recommended the deployment of a peacekeeping mission under Article 4(h) of the AU Constitutive Act and UN Resolution 2719 to protect civilians and secure humanitarian corridors.
The mission also proposed a disarmament and reintegration program for irregular armed units and the creation of an African-led accountability mechanism to prosecute grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
“Ending the war in Sudan is not only a moral imperative but a legal and political necessity,” the report concluded, calling for an inclusive peace process led by the AU and IGAD and a Sudanese-led transitional justice process to address the roots of the conflict.